The ICC six will be known in two weeks

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 2 – International Criminal Court Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo says he will reveal the names of six Kenyans who are suspected of masterminding the 2008 post election violence in the next two weeks.

Mr Ocampo said in Nairobi on Thursday that he will apply for summons against the six individuals, and that arrest warrants will only be necessary should they fail to honour the invites.

He said that he had finalised his investigations on two cases involving the six and would present his arguments before Trial Chamber Three at The Hague within a fortnight.

"Before December 17, we will file two cases of about 80 pages each summarising the facts and analysing the evidence collected," Mr Ocampo said in Nairobi.

“Their names will be known, but these individuals are still innocent. Their guilt or innocence will be decided by the judges at the end of the judicial process,” he said.

Mr Ocampo was speaking at the start of a two-day meeting called to review the performance of the coalition government after two years, organised by the Kofi Annan Foundation.

He outlined an elaborate process and indicated that he expected trials to start by late 2012 or early 2013.

“It will be a demanding process and there could be delays and setbacks,” cautioned Mr Ocampo.

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After the judges clear his requests for the summons, a hearing to confirm the charges shall be held presumably towards the end of next year or early 2012. At this stage the judges shall evaluate the evidence to determine whether it meets the threshold.

“The judges can confirm the charges and send the case to trial or amend or reject the charges,” he said.

The hearing will then be followed by a trial.

His address came amidst criticism of his process by Eldoret North MP William Ruto on the sidelines of the meeting.

Mr Ruto addressed journalists outside the venue of the conference and repeated claims that the process was flawed and compromised since witnesses had admitted being been bribed by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).

Mr Ocampo however defended the KNCHR saying his team had received no evidence of witness bribery by the commission.

“We reviewed the work done by KNCHR and we found no support for such allegations,” said Mr Ocampo.

He added that although they had relied on the KNCHR and the Waki Commission reports to open an investigation, they collected their own impartial evidence.

“We collected new evidence, including testimonies, videos and documents,” he said.

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Two witnesses emerged last month claiming that they had been bribed by KNCHR’s Hassan Omar to implicate Mr Ruto.

But on Thursday Mr Ocampo declared: “They are not our witnesses.”

The Prosecutor reiterated that he would deal with the prime suspects and the country had to come up with its own path to deal with other offenders.

“Today Kenya should discuss how to assist the victims and how to ensure peaceful coexistence,” he charged.

Present at the opening of the conference were Prime Minister Raila and Chief Mediator Kofi Annan, diplomats and members of the civil society.